I may have to re-evaluate Initiative Q’s scam level — their new pitch is “This is a new currency and payment network built by ex-PayPal guys, called Initiative Q.” That’s the current suggested text on their website for spamming your friends with … and it’s a lie — Q’s founder sold his fraud-detection startup to PayPal, but that’s it. I’ve also seen one where they were founders of PayPal.

Crypto media is better than you may have thought — Corin Faife of Breaker posed as a PR person and asked crypto news outlets if they’d take money to cover a project, and nearly half refused! So that’s nice. The majority wanted payment of between $240 and $4500 — in filthy fiat, not even in cryptos. The pay-for-play sites are: NewsBTC, Bitcoinist, Cryptovest, Globalcoinreport, AMB Crypto, CoinIdol, BTCManager, Blokt, CryptoPotato, Coinspeaker, Cointelligence and CryptoNinjas. CoinTelegraph wouldn’t run an article for payment themselves, but they did refer them to other sites in the “Cointelegraph Media Group.” This should surprise absolutely nobody — for instance, CoinIdol asked me directly for money to do a book review. Outlets that flatly refused were BraveNewCoin, Coinjournal, CryptosRus, CCN, Mineable, Oracle Times and ZyCrypto.

“There are two ways to make money from bitcoin: with luck and with difficulty. Unfortunately for those who missed out on the cryptocurrency’s rapid rise in value, the difficult route — mining — is proving costly.”

tfw when Crypto Capital Corp, the MSP for Bitfinex, also seems to work with/operate a literal DIY Ponzi scheme website, but no one cares because they aren't paying attention and don't see how absurd this is: pic.twitter.com/WRtgPdNqQG

The Intelligence Squared debate I did in July is now online in full, on video! It’s 90 minutes, and totally worth it. (Yes, I need better resting nodding-and-smiling face.) The bit where I find myself having to explain capitalism to supposed capitalists is about 37 minutes in.

After a few months of it apparently not working … I’ve just fixed the “Get blog posts by email” function on this blog! You can sign up to get every post emailed at the link here.

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The content of this site is journalism and personal opinion. Nothing contained on this site is, or should be construed as providing or offering, investment, legal, accounting, tax or other advice. Do not act on any opinion expressed here without consulting a qualified professional. I do not hold a position in any crypto asset or cryptocurrency or blockchain company.